Goodbye My Spiritual Roadtrip: Why I’m Done With Blogging

Nov 18, 15

I’ve decided I am done with blogging, and the simple reason for this is that I just don’t want to do it anymore.

You know when you go back and forth on something for so long. You just can’t make up your mind, and then you finally make a decision and it feels like the most obvious choice in the world? That’s how I felt the other day when I decided that I was done with blogging.

For a really long time I had this nagging thought at the back of my head that said I didn’t want to be doing this. In some ways, I don’t think I ever wanted to be doing it, but I also can’t really say that that’s entirely true.

I began blogging in June of 2013. I wasn’t exactly passionate about the idea, but I really didn’t know what I was doing with my life, and I felt pretty passionless in general, which really scared me.

As a kid I had loved writing, but somewhere along the way I’d let it go and decided it was just a childhood pastime. My aunt however knew better, and she kept telling me that I needed to start writing. She told me that even if writing wasn’t for me, she thought that starting to write would open something up in me and help me to figure things out.

Blogging seemed like the best way I could think of to write, so I started my blog, which was originally called Vegan Baileys.

It turns out she was right- I love writing. And through blogging, I really have learned and opened up so much. What I don’t love is finding photos for posts, editing photos, thinking of blog posts, making SEO friendly content, promoting my posts on social media, networking with other bloggers, creating a nice blog layout, signing up for affiliate programs and trying to promote products in the hopes of making some money, and all of the other hundreds of little things that go into blogging. I realized that writing is just one small part of being a blogger, and all of the other parts I either didn’t do, or I did with a sense of obligation and total lack of enthusiasm.

Here is my other main thing with blogging, and this is the thing that made me not want to start a blog and made me question many times why I was blogging: I think there is way too much information out there bombarding us, particularly online, and I was very wary of contributing to that.

I think it’s amazing that people are sharing their stories and useful and fun information. There are amazing movements going on right now- health, environmental, spiritual, body confidence, and on and on- because so many people are writing and talking about them and sharing stories and information. But there’s also A LOT of content that gets created and recycled solely for the purpose of filling up a blog or a website.

Sometimes I would write posts that felt so true and so real and so uniquely “me.” I knew I was sharing a part of myself, and I felt that it could be of benefit to others. Other times, I just felt like I was writing something to stay on my blogging schedule.

I think, if something isn’t inspiring to create, it’s not going to be inspiring to read. It’s when you love and are passionate about what you’re doing that you can help to inspire others. I’ve heard and read bloggers who have really “made it” talk about blogging, and they talk about how they love it so much, so it’s not surprising to me that people love to read what they are sharing. That inspiration gets passed on from writer to reader. My blog kind of felt more like a homework assignment, and that’s just not how it’s meant to be.

In retrospect, I think I was scared to let go of my blog because I haven’t really known what I want to do with my life for so long, and at least with my blog I had something. It’s way easier to say “I’m a blogger,” than “Ummm….” when people ask you what you do. But lying to yourself doesn’t really get you anywhere.

So. What’s the plan from here? Well as I said, I like writing, just not blogging. I do have some topics that I have been wanting to write about, so I think if I decide to do some more public writing, I’ll try to have them published on other blogs and sites rather than my own.

I also love sharing things that actually do inspire me and make me happy, and the place that I enjoy doing that is on Instagram. I plan to keep Instagramming daily, so if you want to stay up to date on my favourite recipes, quotes, thoughts, products, activities, as well as what’s going on in my life, that’s where you can find me. I also discovered recently that I love making YouTube videos, so in the future I may make more, and if I do, I’ll post them on this site. You can take a look at my previous videos here.

I appreciate so so much the support and connections and amazing words that you all have given me over the last 2 1/2 years. Sometimes I’d write a post or make a video, and I’d feel so self conscious or weird or awkward after like ‘why did I just post that and what are people going to think?’ And then I’d get a message or a comment or an email saying that it helped them or just a word of support or encouragement, and it just made me happier than I can tell you.

I get nostalgic over just about anything, so thinking back over the last 2 1/2 years of blogging makes me kind of emotional, and kind of like I’m abandoning my online baby. But it also feels so good to be saying no to something that isn’t really contributing to my happiness.

I don’t ever want to write something just to fill a schedule. Here’s all I really want to say in my writing: Life is amazing, and you are amazing. You don’t need to read about how to fix or change yourself because you are perfect. Love yourself, have fun, be kind to others, be open to love, do things that excite you and light you up and make you so happy to be alive. Turn off your computer and just go and enjoy your amazing life.

Comments

I can say with conviction that this is the first time I’ve cried ACTUAL tears after reading something online:

“Life is amazing, and you are amazing. You don’t need to read about how to fix or change yourself because you are perfect. Love yourself, have fun, be kind to others, be open to love, do things that excite you and light you up and make you so happy to be alive. Turn off your computer and just go and enjoy your amazing life.”

YOU are amazing. I just read it again and started to cry. Such beautiful words. I can’t wait to read your work again. I really loved tagging along on your blog journey but I fully support your decision to stop something that wasn’t speaking to you any longer… How inspirational. I hope we can all find the space to be as brave.

oh Laura thank you so much!! You have been so supportive of my whole journey and your messages always meant so much to me. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your encouragement and support and words of advice over the last couple of years- you are true uplifter. Thank you thank you thank you <3

That was so well put and so honest and has helped me to really evaluate where I’m at with my blog and what about it excites more and what doesn’t. This has actually been so helpful to read. All the best and can’t wait to follow your adventures on insta!! And our “spiritual road trip” is never over. Thanks for being a part of mine.